1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a tape player for recording sounds on or reproducing recorded sounds from a tape of a tape cassette, and more particularly to a cassette changer for a tape player of the type mentioned wherein one of a plurality tape cassettes accommodated therein is selectively set on a tape driving mechanism.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A cassette changer for a tape player is already known wherein a holder in which a plurality of tape cassettes are removably accommodated in a row is moved relative to a tape driving mechanism for driving a tape of a tape cassette selectively set thereon to perform recording or reproduction of sounds on or from the tape. When it is intended to record or reproduce sounds on or from a tape of a particular one of the tape cassettes, at first either one of the holder and the tape driving mechanism is moved relative to the other in a direction along the row of the tape cassettes to a position at which the particular cassette opposes a tape pushing out mechanism. Then, the cassette is pushed out from the holder and set in position on the tape driving mechanism by the pushing out mechanism. Thereafter, a door for a tape cassette insertion opening formed in a wall of the holder is closed to prevent another tape cassette from being inserted by way of the cassette insertion opening to the position of the holder from which the particular cassette has been pushed out.
In order to remove some of the tape cassettes from the holder or mount new tape cassettes in position on the holder, the holder is moved to a predetermined position at which a tape cassette is removed from or mounted in position onto the holder.
The conventional cassette changer for a tape player described above has such various drawbacks as described below. In particular, where the holder is mounted for movement relative to the tape driving mechanism, a space greater than twice the dimension of the holder in the direction of the row of the tape cassettes is required because the holder must be able to move between a position at which a tape cassette at an end position of the row is selected and another position at which another tape cassette at the other end position of the row is selected. If it is intended to increase the number of tape cassettes to be accommodated in the holder, then the holder must have a correspondingly greater size, and the overall size of the tape player in which the holder is accommodated for movement is increased by twice such increment. Accordingly, sufficient miniaturization of the tape player cannot be anticipated unless the holder is disposed such that it may be exposed or projected outside from a body or housing of the tape player.
However, if the holder is exposed outside the tape player housing, then a tape within a tape cassette on the holder is likely to be soiled or the holder may collide with and damage some other instrument.
To the contrary, if it is attempted to construct the tape player such that the tape driving mechanism is mounted for movement relative to the holder, then a motor of a high output power is required to move the tape driving mechanism because the tape driving mechanism has a comparatively large weight with various mechanisms including a tape feeding mechanism for feeding a tape at a normal speed or at a high speed in a forward direction or in the reverse direction and various other mechanical parts such as a head and a motor. Besides, connection between such tape feeding mechanism and operation provided on a front panel of the player for operation of the tape feeding mechanism is complicated, and consequently, the tape player is liable to fail.
Whether the holder or the tape driving mechanism is mounted for movement relative to the other, when a tape cassette which has been in position on the tape feeding mechanism for recording or reproduction of a tape thereof is returned to the holder, the tape cassette is moved at a fixed speed between the tape feeding mechanism and the holder. Accordingly, in case the speed is excessively high, the tape cassette may jump out of the holder due to its interia. Or, if the tape cassettes are not arranged in regular order on the holder, the pushing out mechanism which may be provided fixedly on or relative to the tap driving mechanism may collide with some of such tape cassettes on the holder and consequently be prevented from moving in the direction of the row of the tape cassettes relative to the holder and hence to the tape cassettes. On the contrary, in case the speed is excessively low, much time is required until a tape cassette is returned from the tape driving mechanism into the holder and then a next tape cassette is set in position onto the tape driving mechanism, which may irritate an operator.
Further, since the pushing out mechanism and the holder are disposed for relative movement to each other, a very complicated mechanism is required to permit the holder to be moved to a position in which it is partially exposed outside to allow a tape cassette thereof to be manually removed or exchanged for another tape cassette while a tape of a particular tape cassette selectively picked up from the holder is being recorded or reproduced by the tape driving mechanism. It is difficult, however, to put such mechanism to practical use.
Accordingly, in such a cassette changer for a tape player as described above, normally the holder is mounted for movement relative to the tape driving mechanism, but while a tape of another tape cassette is being driven by the tape driving mechanism, the holder is prevented from moving by the pushing out mechanism or by a selecting mechanism for moving the holder relative to the tape driving mechanism to select a desired tape cassette or by some other mechanism. Consequently, during recording or reproducing operation of a tape cassette, the holder cannot actually be exposed outside the tape player to exchange another tape cassette on the holder. In other words, removal or exchanging of a tape cassette can normally be performed only when the tape player is at rest.
In order to remove a tape cassette from the holder, an operator must put its fingers into the holder to pick up the tape cassette. This, however, is a cumbersome operation. If a mechanism is provided to push a tape cassette to move to partly project forwardly from the holder, then the tape cassette may be handled readily, but such mechanism likely has a very complicated structure.
After removal or exchanging of some tape cassettes, the holder is returned to its home position in preparation for subsequent selection of a tape cassette thereon. However, if a tape cassette is mounted reversely on the holder in error with an exposed tape thereof directed in the opposite direction, which likely occurs, then it is moved, when it is selected, to the tape driving mechanism while maintaining its reverse orientation. However, the tape cassette cannot be set in position onto the tape driving mechanism but will cause an inadvertent trouble of the tape player such as jamming of the tape player mechanism.
A similar trouble of the tape player mechanism may occur if another tape cassette is inserted in error to the position of the holder from which a proper tape cassette has been picked up for recording or reproduction of a tape thereof. Such tape cassette inserted in error will interfere with the proper tape cassette when the proper tape cassette tries to return to its original position on the holder, and will thus cause jamming of the tape player mechanism. Such insertion of a tape cassette in error is likely to occur in case the door for the tape cassette insertion opening is opened by some means due to absence of a door locking mechanism or if the holder is moved to the outwardly exposed position by some reason.
Further, since such a conventional cassette changer for a tape player as described above only includes a single tape driving mechanism, continuous recording or reproduction of two or more tapes cannot be performed.